Knights of the New Republic
by PyroViper
Summary: My take on a view of the New Republic by a group of free lance Mercenaries lead by their assumed leadercaptain, Xiom.
1. Prolouge

Author Note: This is the beginning of my second fan fiction series: Star Wars Knights of the New Republic. I've had the idea of creating a Star Wars fan fic quite some time and this idea had been existing for a few months at least. I hope you don't mind the traditional Star Wars cinematic opening I used and also hope I've grabbed your interest in the series…because it's going to be a long journey for both of us (reader and author)

ENJOY!

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Star Wars : Knights of the New Republic 

Having shattered the Empire into hopeless pieces, Luke Skywalker had brought peace to the galaxy once again. Without the mighty Sith lord in power any longer, and the Empire's decaying status, the Rebellion had gathered together and sought to discover a way to maintain democracy and peace within the peace of the universe.

It was dubbed as the New Republic.

Though this new faction of peace and unity had resembled the previous Republic in much of every aspect, the elected Senators had agreed to make it a more secure government. With new checks and balances fortifying the new faction it was nearly completed and absolutely just.

However as the development of the New Republic began other conflicts arose in other sectors of the galaxy. Though Sidious had been vanquished, evil still found a way to cling onto its own life. The Empire, though shattered and scarred, gathered secretly for hopes of searching for a new leader and coming back into their absolute power. As the hopeless faction began devising, the Trade Federation Remnants arose once more, though having more hopes and power then the fractured Empire.

While the two axis factions grew as well more evil and separation purged about the galaxy. Factions, clans, organizations, cults, groups; all had began spawning by the calm in the Force and tranquility in the universe.

Once the Republic had been finally settled and organized they realized the arising conflicts and immediately took their defense as they prepared themselves for what was to come.

As for the Force, it had been indeed balanced, yet the prophecy misinterpreted. The who would bring balance to the force indeed did bring balance…yet that balance was not the original ideal of purging the dark side for good. This balance was to reinstitute connection of the force with whomever sought it; both dark and light. The numbers of both Light and Dark Force users increased from its previous dieing number and those whom choose Light and Dark were at equaled numbers.

Yet the Force itself had changed so much with the climax of the Chosen one. With the new age of the Force and Republic brought upon an odd change in the Force. This change brought upon more followers of the ways of Light or Dark and more importantly the new brought secrets that the Force had offered. It was the _Evolution_ of the Force, and it had touched many either through its connection, its essence, or its new powers…

_War is a sentient creation…and as long as we live, we'll wage it. _


	2. Chapter 1

Author Note: After reading this chapter, I think you'll learn who the main character is going to be, what his species is, and whose descendant is he. I personally love the species/character and I thought it'd be a better twist then to stick with the traditional human main character. It may seem like a slow start but I hope you enjoy nonetheless.

Chapter 1: Hunting Party

"Xiom, duck!"

A gust of air rushed by a novice warrior on the sandy shore as he turned and side-stepped; heading his hunting companion's words. The tip of his race's customary warrior spear grazed a leathery flap of a large airborne monster's wing.

The one named Xiom got to his feet once more, the silhouette of his image expanded in the planet's descending horizon. His hunting partner felt his ally's grace as the sun beat down on him and both returned to arms; at attention to the hunt at hand.

"Brushed him," his hunting partner commented, gazing out upon the terrorizing, prehistoric like kite-beast that hovered over the shoreline of the ocean in recuperation of its flight.

Xiom's attention immediately went to a familiar, ominous hissing that erupted from the shores. It was a beaked serpentine beast. Its tail was striped of black and white while the other majority of its bulk was a crisp, browning orange. The beast snapped its beak threateningly at Xiom, bearing its jagged teeth.

"Jomaen, stay on the Mumuu!" Xiom ordered. He twirled his spear in his right hand aggressively as he began his approach on the serpentine, muttering to himself, "The Karabbac is mine."

After a slow approach, Xiom felt his legs bolt with energy as he sprinted instantaneously for the element of surprise. The Karabbac was stunned by the sudden move for a moment before it responded by a hungry hiss and met its foe, slithering forward.

The two came into distance and Xiom made his move as he leapt from the sandy shores and followed into a aerial cleave upon the Karabbac. The feeling of a grainy touchdown was displeasing and frustrating to Xiom as the Karabbac swiveled its fragile neck from Xiom's spear.

Xiom roared in pain as the Karabbac clamped its jagged beak around his calf.

In blind furry and haste Xiom made another jab at the aquatic beast, yet it had anticipated and evaded once more. It was then Xiom felt his legs buckle by the beasts constricting pressure as it wrapped its whole body around him.

The warrior collapsed into the shore, his body tumbling deeper and deeper into the water. The salt of the ocean burned his golden eyes for a moment until he managed his sight back and was met by the sea demon's elongated beak gawked open ready to crush his skull.

Inches away from death, Xiom managed a burst of raging strength to escape from the beast's grasp and pushed off from it. He felt his body drift away by the ocean's current and he steadily kicked at the surface, plunging himself deeper and further away trying his best to give himself distance and time.

His prey swiveled in the sea, cocking its head back and forth lost in a cloud of blood that had been from the cut the beast left on his leg. It finally found its prey's trail and slithered through the depths after it.

Xiom felt his lungs heave, begging him to return to the surface for air. Even for his own species, whom had come over time to learn how to swim, were no better at holding their breaths then humans.

The warrior grasped his spear tightly, hoping to make it a quick victory; the Karabback swam vigorously towards him. Xiom watched the beast carefully, not wanting to fail to meet his fatal strike again.

Closer and closer the beast came, wriggling in the salty water after him. As it neared close to striking distance and opened its menacing beak Xiom side kicked his way out of the beasts way. As it just skimmed by him Xiom used the opportunity to strike.

His spear tore into the creature's rubbery skin and its momentum carried the rest of its body across Xiom's spear, ripping open an even larger gash. With the water full of his prey now, Xiom made his way to the surface, knowing the beast would follow.

Xiom made way to the shallow part, and turned as his head bobbed the surface. Again he was met by a close call from the beast's beak and dodged out of its way and delivered the final strike; impaling his spear through its neck.

Xiom gazed at the beast; it wriggled helplessly, its death inevitable. Once it made its final stagger and seized to move again Xiom howled in victory.

"XIOM LOOK OUT!"

Xiom quickly ended his celebrating roar as he focused on Jomaen's warning. The familiar beast that had assaulted before reared its petrifying, bony face in Xiom's direction as it dove down upon him, jaws gaped.

With desperate haste, Xiom removed the hide of his last victim from his spear and raised it to his descending foe.

Blood splashed across Xiom's maroon coarse skin as the spear impaled the beast; straight through its vitals. The leathery kite fell limp on its fateful pole and the warrior hoisted in both his trophies.

"Nice killings," Jomaen commented.

"I don't see why the Mumuu wasn't yours, however," Xiom remarked, walking upon the sandy shore once more, dropping the prehistoric looking kite which was dubbed the _Mumuu_, at Jomaen's feet.

"First off, I already scored my trophy," Jomaen replied, nodding behind him where in a messy pile rested the carcass of another Mumuu, "Secondly, if you'll check the bullet wound in your trophies wing, you'll see that I had assisted your kill."

Xiom cocked his head curiously at his hunting partner and checked his Mumuu for the presumed bullet wound and sure enough its left wing flap had a precise, smoldering hole in it.

"Looks like you will be getting your warriors mask today, after all," Xiom commented, as he hefted both bodies over his shoulders again.

He waited for Jomaen to retrieve his own carcass and they both strolled off in the direction of their home.

"So, even if I didn't score that other one," Jomaen began, "You wouldn't let me have your Mumuu's skull?"

Xiom smirked beneath his own bone cobbled warrior mask, "I already told you. I need my own mask…not my dad's old one."

"What's wrong with your dads?" Jomaen questioned, his coarse brown face not having a mask like Xiom's to veil his own face.

"It wasn't past down from generation to generation like the true warrior bloodline," Xiom replied simply, "My dad had to hunt for his own…not passed down from grandpa."

"Most of his body was incinerated in the crash though," Jomaen reminded, "Before they made him a cyborg."

Xiom didn't speak. He had grieved so much for his grandfather's death, for his transformation, for the sacrifice he made to his people. He'd do anything to meet him.

"Xiom ale Sheelal…grandson of General Grievous, greatest war hero of our planet," Jomaen stated musically, each word having a high ringing of pride to it, "Who needs his old mask when you've got his bloodline? Do you know how many people would give up everything for being his descendant on Kalee?"

"I suppose your right," Xiom replied softly.

Both Kaleesh warriors continued their walk silently, dragging back their trophies to Xiom's hut where Jomaen had been living in despite their lack of blood relation.

Protocol for most adolescent Kaleesh on the verge of adulthood was to go out on their first official hunt and bring back the carcass of a Mumuu and Karabbac so they may receive their official warrior attire or warrior blood markings.

For Xiom and Jomaen it was a sporting hunt, yet both hoping to come back with a nicer trophy then their previous prey. Xiom had fit under the Kaleesh culture where passing down a family mask was the way to knight Kaleesh kin into adulthood, while Jomaen had fit under those whom had found more pride and individuality in hunting for their own. Not only that, but Jomaen had no longer a family to have such things passed down to.

Jomaen's family had both been slaughtered by a Huk raid while Jomaen had shared his first hunt with Xiom. The Huk's were a rivalry insectoid species to the Kaleesh, whose planet neighbored the blood stained yet paradise imaging Kalee. War had been waged for years between the two species, and despite that war had ended long ago, hate and bloodshed between the two still existed.

Ever since Xiom had treated Jomaen as part of the family, and dubbed him as his personal hunting companion. The two were a flawless combo; Xiom the vigorous close-combat fighter while Jomaen practiced accuracy and ranged combat with his Sharpshooter Rifle he had received from his father just before he was killed…strangely enough, the rifle he received was lacking a scope yet Jomaen learned on his own how to get in a precise shot.

Like true patriots to their planet, Xiom and Jomaen held their race with much honor and dignity. Their four clawed, brown-red skinned, reptilian race had always been known for their potential in definition to a true warrior. Despite their lust for combat and fighting, the Kaleesh were a pretty primitive race having little technology at their hands (save for what they gathered from the Trade Federation and other sources that they had been able to scavenge technology from). They acted as nomads and hunters on their planet. But Kalee was a beautiful planet when the scars of battle and war could not be seen, and it was no wonder that the Kaleesh people traveled so much; to see the entire beauty of their planet for what it truly was.

The two bold warriors had finally reached the familiar hut that they both called home and entered eagerly, dragging in their trophies as they entered.

"Xiom aleSheelal!" Roared a familiar, furious voice, "Why in the name of your grandfather are you soaking wet!"

Xiom's mother, no surprise, was the first to greet them from their journey back, scolding him for his drenched, brown tanned-hide vest and soaking black tanned-hide pants.

"Karabbac troubles, mom," Xiom replied simply heaving the carcass of the slippery serpentine's body in front of his mother. Xiom then motioned to his injured leg, "He took me in…this one was fast. But at least we've got supper."

"You and your battle scars, Xiom," his mother said in a nagging tone, examining his wound, "I'll fix it up…and leave your father to your…trophies."

"Did I hear trophies?"

Xiom's father entered the main room, his skin full of dirt and grease.

"Good job on the hunt, guys," his father said, examining the trophies closely, "I'll start cleaning the Karabbac and as for the Mumuus…"

"Forget about it dad," Xiom said, removing his mask and tossing it over to his father, "Me and Jomaen will take care of the Mumuu. We'd like to design our own warrior masks and capes."

He shrugged, grabbing a hold of their supper by the tail, "Fine by me. I can see your taking interest in the responsibilities of a warrior."

"It's what I was meant for," Xiom replied, as he hefted his Mumuu over his shoulder once more, and escorted Jomaen into a more proper room for the preparations of their Kaleesh warrior masks and capes.

The following night Xiom dreamt not of his new mask, not of his hunt, not of his planet…but of the galaxy he had wondered so much about…


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: New Friends, Old Grudge

"So this…planet that you saw in your dream…What was it like?"

Xiom and Jomaen had been strolling a tall patch of grasslands for half an hour or so the next day, both sporting their knew carved warrior masks and Mumuu skinned capes. The two seemed almost identical now except for the distinguishing darker browned skin tone and olive green eyes that Jomaen had inherited, as well as his warrior kilt rather then Xiom's Karabbac skinned black pants.

"It was," Xiom began, the dream began so real in his mind once more, "Dazzling. Every speck of land was covered by immense, towering buildings. And in the night it sparkled magnificently. It was nothing like our homeland…no. I'd never seen anything like it."

Jomaen shook his head in part disbelief and awe, "You dream too much about these…cities, Xiom. They seem…fascinating, but why…how do you dream them up?"

Xiom shrugged, "Perhaps we were destined for more then just Kalee…like grandpa."

"Destiny," Jomaen chortled at the word, "You're starting to sound like a Jedi."

Xiom snorted at the word he grew to loathe.

_Jedi._

Their so called heir for purity and goodness was all but ego and falsehood to Xiom. He recalled his father telling of stories, how the Huk's had won the trust of the Republic to aid them in the war. The ultimate weapon the Republic had to offer were the Jedi…and with them on the side of the Huk's they were able to smite down all opposition, all defenses that the Kaleesh had to offer.

Protecting the innocent? Xiom spat at their motto, their so-called sworn duty.

The Kaleesh were the innocent…it was the Huk's whom used deception to show the true, corrupt colors of the Jedi…

There was a rustling ahead.

Through pure, experienced instinct both Kaleesh hunters dropped to the soils of the grassland. Jomaen glanced over at Xiom for a signal.

Xiom made a motion with his clawed finger to where his lips were behind his mask for silence.

The rustling grew nearer.

Xiom made a slow motion with his hand towards the sound: 'A_pproach cautiously'_.

Both moved forward through the tall grasses; their stealth and movements much like a snake, approaching its prey.

The sounds only continued to grow nearer. Xiom estimated their distance: 5 meters…4 meters…3…2…1…

Xiom made the first move…

He hefted all his lying wait from the ground and converted his body stance into a leap as he went to strike down the first target. In mid-air he recognized the species. His weight kept his target down and with his spear's pole region against its neck it remained still and unable to resist.

To Xiom's knowledge it was a human; one possessing neatly combed brown hair, and sharp, keen blue eyes that spelled out trickery and mischief. He wore a dirty, brown leather jacket, a white shirt underneath, and slick black pants.

Xiom cocked his head at his prey while listening to gunfire that showered overhead between Jomaen's powerful single-fired shots and a blaster rifle's bursting flow.

"Easy big guy," pleaded the pinned human, "We mean you no harm."

This had been Xiom's second time seeing a humanoid. He remembered the first was when his father had traded with one once before. They seemed like a peaceful species…

"Hold your fire, Jomaen!" Xiom ordered.

"At ease Mart Ma," the humanoid added.

The gunfire had ceased and there was an awkward silence. Xiom continued to stare at the human for a moment longer before slowly letting off him completely. He stood with his spear close to his side, ready to strike once more, need be. With his head now above level of the tall grasses, Xiom made out the second one that returned fire with Jomaen.

The second one had long fin-like ears that hung back, ending down at their waste region with eye sockets that perked up from the top of their head. In addition it had a distinct bill and amphibious, slippery sage and white skin. It was clothed in red battle armor and held a blaster rifle tightly in hand.

The human examined both Xiom and Jomaen closely, "Kaleesh, right?"

"Correct," Jomaen stated.

"And you are human," Xiom stated, more so for clarifying species.

"Corellian actually," the humanoid corrected, "A form of human I guess you could say. Name's Ben Collar"

"And your friend?" Jomaen asked motioning towards the other with his rifle.

"Marta ma Frungo," said the amphibious one, stepping forward to introduce himself, "Meesa be Gungan."

"Xiom ale Sheelal."

"…and Jomaen tae Sreshiim."

"And you're both Kaleesh?" Ben asked.

"I thought we had already established that," Jomaen replied smugly.

"Why is it of importance?" Xiom questioned.

Ben smiled simply, "As far as my knowledge about this system goes, you Kaleesh don't get along with the Huk's very well."

"An exaggerated understatement," Xiom replied.

"Then maybe you'd be interested in helping me and my friend out," Ben began, "We were attacked in mid flight to Coruscant by Corporate Czerka Attack Shuttles. We tried to loose their trail by circling around your planet…but turns out the Huks have an alliance with Czerka."

"Weesa shot down by Huks and Czerka. Our ship isa crashed!" Mart Ma added.

"Why did they attack you?" Xiom questioned.

There was a moment of hesitation for both Ben and Mart Ma to reveal as to why they were. "Let's just say we were doing some…business that they didn't approve of so much."

"Are you saying you two are criminals, then?" Jomaen asked.

"Depending on the point of view," Ben said defensively, having chosen his words carefully once more, "Our business is beneficial to all whom oppose Czerka…and Czerka itself is bad news."

"All of which is unimportant," Xiom snapped, ending the petty conversation in annoyance, "I believe the issue at hand was your ship crashed and you were having some troubles with the Huks."

"Yes, and we think they're still crawling all over it," Ben replied, "That's why we thought you guys could help. You know the buggers, you hate their guts, and we need to retrieve some valuables on board that ship…not to mention get back on track to Coruscant."

"Anything in it for us?" Jomaen questioned.

"An opportunity to ravage some Huk's, and a free ride to Coruscant," Ben offered.

Xiom mulled it over for a moment. His dream...the galaxy…was this his opportunity? An omen for him to start a new chapter in his life to be a part of the bigger picture, a galaxy of destiny? Perhaps it was…and perhaps it was his time to mimic his Grandfather's path of marking the history of the galaxy with his own name.

"Where's your ship?"

The four ventured out for ten minutes or so until Ben came to a halt and motioned ahead to a crashed Corellion Transport. Surrounding the ship were dozens of blue insectoid, bipedal creatures that Xiom had grown to hate so much.

"Huk's…" Xiom growled.

The Huk's were a crafty looking insect species and one of the only having such a odd hue of blue skin to them. Branching off of their small bean shaped carapace were two nimble arms, two elongated legs, and a thin neck which supported their mantis resembling head. Branching off their shoulder regions were two large, fearsome scorpion like claws used for clamps and other offenses in combat.

They all scurried around the ship, investigating and scavenging it madly. Some began confiscating some of its cargo as others huddled around dents, tears, and other damages in the ship's hull and interior.

"Well, at least they were kind enough to fix it up for us," Ben said, half sarcastically.

"Wassa be the plan then?" The Gungan questioned the Kaleesh.

"We'd have the element of surprise," Xiom noted to Jomaen.

"Your favorite technique," Jomaen replied with a smirk beneath his skull and turned back to the other two, "What are you both packing?"

"Blaster Rifle and a pistol," Ben said grapping his pistol out of his holster.

Xiom glanced at the puny weapon and chortled at it, "That is your means of defense?"

"It suits its purpose when you're a hell of a shot with it," the Corellian replied smugly.

"Heesa be a wicked gunslinger," Mart Ma vouched.

"Can we rely on you and your puny little pistol then to take out some Huks?" Jomaen questioned.

"I could sooner blow your head off with this 'puny' little thing before you could even raise your rifle," Ben growled back.

"Then how was Xiom able to jump you without you managing to get one single shot at him?" Jomaen countered.

Ben began stuttering for a response defensively, "He…well…we didn't even know you guys were there! Hell this is your home turf…you guys had…"

"...the element of surprise," Xiom said, finishing Ben's sentence and breaking the argument, "It's settled then. We'll make a solid ambush on my count. That'll give us a quick starting advantage…the rest will rely on skill and instinct."

"Fine," Ben and Jomaen said in unison, Mart Ma following up in a, "Meesa Ready."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Bloodlust of the Species'

"So much cargo on the ship! We could make quite some profit off of it," one Huk noted, lugging a small crate from the ship to be scavenged.

"Forget about selling, we could use such things for our own use! Perhaps against those dirty Kaleesh," another Huk noted, scurrying around the other Huk's crate.

"Stop your coveting, both of you," snapped another, larger Huk, "These supplies are not for our picking. Czerka is to take possession of it all as we will be paid well for their return."

The Huk's beedy eyes scanned the barren fields paranormally, expecting death or intrusion at any moment, "And regarding the _dirty_ Kaleesh we must hurry. Need I remind you we're on their territory, and despite our victory against them they can still…"

The Huk's words were finally drowned out by a boiling pot of all the sounds of war. Blaster fire raining over head, smoldering bodies of fellow insect comrades, infamous war cries of the hated species, blood and excruciating brutality; all thundered and shrilled at the Huk's ears.

After the fall of a handful of their species, his comrades had finally taken the threat to concern and as some scavenged any and all weaponry from the ship, another handful prepared themselves for combat through their own physical means of combat.

The Huk took immediate cover behind the ship, out of sight, and reached for a radio on his alien like utility belt.

"Scaper 7, this is Ev Khar-kag. We're under attack and require immediate extraction of materials scavenged from the attack on the Corellian Transport. I repeat, we need immediate assistance and extraction!"

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Xiom somersaulted violently as an angry Huk went charging at the Kaleesh with all its fury. Having witnessed the Kaleesh warrior slay three of its brethren already, its persistence had risen to a boiling point, overcoming all of the Kaleesh's weight and defenses.

Xiom felt the rigid dirt graze across his back as his body continued to slide by the Huk's force, and once his body lost momentum he forced his warrior spear up in protection as the Huk's scorpion clawed back limbs went for his neck. He felt the pressure and weight that the Huk urged against his only means of defense and cringed as its weight and muscle became even more forceful.

Just as Xiom felt his muscles tire from holding the Huk's lethal claws back there was a rain of lasering fire that shot over his body, clustering and soaring into the Huk's body. The black, miniature pupils in its large tear shaped eyes grew twice their size and the Huk's weight was no more.

Xiom heaved the carcass off of him and turned to see where the fire had come from.

"Yousa be welcome," Mart Ma said, slapping in a new clip into his Blaster rifle. Xiom gave a curt nod of thanks to the Gungan and turned to proceed to his killings.

He turned back to the Huk infested ship and saw three Huk's standing at one of the entries to the ship, all armed with confiscated weaponry from the ship. They cocked their blasters and readied to fire. Before they took offensive action, however, Xiom grabbed his old enemies body and raised it as a shield as he began charging towards the stream of fire.

The Kaleesh occasionally staggered and grunted in his dash as he felt some shots graze his arm, hip, and legs yet continued on daringly knowing his torso and head were shielded completely by the body.

Xiom felt his weight (and his makeshift shield's) crash into another body and he tackled down upon it as it crashed by his weight.

The downed Huk's second appendages felt around in the air for the reptilian nemesis' body while being weighted down by Xiom's weight its feeble attempts cut short as the Kaleesh's spear found its way through the Huk's skull. Two bodies now had lain motionless. Xiom quickly returned to his feet and retrieved his polearm at the sound of the Huk's cocking their weaponry from new loads.

With grace and a warrior's momentum he swung right with his pole for the insect's neck. Intinctly the Huk swerved its head and countered it with its secondary claw, grasping onto the tip of his blade. With his opponent partially exposed, the Huk fired madly upon Xiom, aiming for his hearty chest. In foresight, however, Xiom sidestepped from the fire allowing the pellets of laser to impact upon his own brethren.

Both Huks screeched in pain as lasers pelted each other; Xiom had predicted the other Huks attack from behind as well and knew his perfectly placed dodge would injure them both. As his current opponent staggered in pain from the brief burst of blaster pistols from its own kind, Xiom made an uppercut for the Huk's skull, bearing claws rather a fist.

Turquoise juices oozed at Xiom's blood stained claws and from the new orifice he had created and soon the creature fell limp.

Xiom gave a few flicks of his fingertips to rid the Huk's blood off and turned to meet his second foe. The Huk's brow narrowed violently and its pupils gleamed with a seething hate for his foe. Quickly it scavenged another blaster pistol in a nearby crate, cocked both, and unleashed a deadly fire upon Xiom.

With no reasonable defenses now to turn to Xiom crouched and did his best to cover his masked face and chest from the blows with his combat-taped arms. Xiom roared in pain and anger as his arms and few other spots on his body took the burning, excruciatingly painful shots.

Each shot took a bit out of Xiom's tolerance and endurance yet with each painful hit he found more will and reason to do his best for the endurance of the shots. Little by little the blaster pistol's lasers seared off parts of his warrior tape and began smoldering and breaking his maroon skin.

As Xiom's arms began growing hotter, redder, and even more smoldered he found salvation from a familiar echoing shot and the blaster pistol had seized fire.

He looked up and by some distance away he could see vividly the smoking barrel of Jomaen's rifle. "Always like you," Jomaen called out to him, over the chaos, "Come to a close call and have a friend watch your back."

"I guess a thanks is in order then?" Xiom replied in a playfully competitive way.

Jomaen chuckled at his response and snapped back to aggression as he heard the angry screech of a charging Huk with vibrodaggers in hand.

Xiom was tempted to charge after it as well yet instinctly stopped as a familiar hissing and cackling sounded towards him. He turned to see four more Huks appear from the ships direction. Three had been carrying vibroswords (presumably confiscated form the ship) while the last had been armed with a similar blaster rifle from before.

Xiom sighed and prepared for battle once more as he brought up his spear. Xiom watched them all carefully, they held their ground with their flickering blades. Xiom guessed with he might be able to take on two Huks at a time…given the blaster rifle could be disarmed…and still that would leave one. That was when he knew there'd be a gamble of his own life in the matter, but Xiom had a reputation of luck on his side, as if there was a force watching over him assuring him life…

Xiom gave the spear a twirl within his clawed fingers, squinted his eyes for a focus on the rifleman, and arched his spear through the air. When it game to spear throwing, Xiom was a decent throw, however he had much preferred close-combat.

The spear's decent upon armed Huk had come close for its kill and could have succeeded had not another's vibroblade deflect and shatter it in mid air. Xiom's eyes grew large seeing the vibroblades searing might destroy his spear into fractions of pieces. He had taken some time and quality into making his only means of offense…and now it was gone.

A larger gamble was now at hand and Xiom felt skeptical with the new scenario. He could feel the rifleman's finger begin to squeeze around the trigger and quickly Xiom took the opportunity to evade.

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Like a fanatical pinball, blaster fire ricocheted from every direction, bouncing off carapaces and scavenged weaponry and a trio of Huks were down. Ben breathed off the overheating fumes that danced from his blaster pistol and admired the three bodies, all had been armed with more advanced guns then his simple pistol yet all three lacked the training within their weaponry and the ability to gun sling like no other.

"Too slow," Ben commented to the corpses.

His raising ego ended sharply as a duo of more insect soldiers came charging at his right, screeching their war cry, and before Ben could react there was a proverbial cyan orb that soared through the air, straight for the two. Ben's initial reaction was to tuck and roll away from the expected explosion. A satisfying explosion followed by bodies flying overhead caused Ben to get back to his feet and turn to thank his Gungan ally.

"BEN! BEHIND!" Mart Ma screamed.

He turned without thinking, brandishing his pistol once more, and fired point blank into a charging Huk's torso. It staggered with wide eyes full of surprise and agony and Ben unloaded four more shots into its chest. It soon fell lax, carapace smoldering.

Ben cave a curt salute to Mart Ma whom simply grinned back.

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Jomaen was tackled once more by another raging Huk, this one unarmed. The Huk had managed to use one of its claws to knock his rifle out of his hands while the other arched back ready to make a clean cut for his neck.

Luckily for Jomaen, he still had once available arm to reach back with, recalling his last victim's possessions. He felt the warmth of a vibrodagger twirl within his fingers as he reached back to confiscate a corpse and swiftly wedged it into the insect's feeble neck as the Huk's claw came within centimeters of his own neck.

He kicked off the insect's weight from his lying body and slowly got back to his feet only to feel that irritating, mutual plunge of weight against his body again. He fell forward from a Huk striking from behind. Face buried in the dust and body pinned down, Jomaen had no resistance against his attacker and began feeling the agonizing claws of the Huk rip against his back.

Jomaen roared in absolute pain and rage as the Huk persistently ravaged against his back. As Jomaen felt his newly constructed cape and short warrior cloak rip against the Huk's merciless wrath there was a ping of salvation as Jomaen felt no longer the Huk's claws rip against his back.

The warrior found the strength to get back to his feet and thrust the Huk's dead weight off his back and he retrieved his rifle. Before him he saw a smoking pistol belonging to Ben. Jomaen hesitantly gave a respectful nod to the human before noticing the Gungan release hellfire upon a group of charging Huks.

Jomaen cocked his rifle and took part in the slaughter.

hr

"Where'd he run off to?" Hissed a Huk, bearing a vibrosword.

"He's behind that crate," growled the rifleman, motioning over to a crate that two Huks had begun moving from the ship.

All four slowly went to approach it, going as slowly and cautiously as possible. Their luminescent cyan eyes focused on any movement from the crate, anticipating retaliation. Their slow march cut to a stop as something soared overhead. It plopped right in front of them and blinked a menacing red.

"THERMAL GRE…"

A dazzling red explosion mutilated two of the Huk's that were sent flying while the rifleman and one other vibrosword wielder managed to dodge from the fury of the grenade.

Smoke billowed from its detonation point and slowly scattered among the field. The Huks shielded their eyes from the billowing smoke and let an eerie silence ring into their ears.

Within an instant the Huk bearing the blaster rifle felt a sharp pain slash across his arm and had been disarmed of its weapon. Out from the smoke appeared the Kaleesh warrior whom dove for the dropped rifle at the same time the Huk had made to pincer the warrior.

Xiom turned once in possession of the gun and unleashed a stream of bursts into the bug. It staggered and fell into a heap. Xiom looked up to see the Huk raise its sword readily at him and hissed violently.

He discarded his rifle and responded to the Huk's hiss by cracking his knuckles, "I don't need a gun to kill you."

The Huk charged him and Xiom braced himself for a counter attack.

The Huk's sprint converted into a small jump for a downward slice upon Xiom. Xiom managed to sidestep from the blade's path while the Huk's mighty secondary claw had anticipated his agility and counter attack. The warrior went for a claw to the insect's skull but reached only so far as it was seized by the Huk's vice grip.

The Kaleesh cringed and growled in utter pain as the Huk's claw sank deeper and clamped down harder into his flesh however managed to use every muscle in his arm to rip himself out of the clamp, and in turn ripping off the vice claw from its joint.

A splash of blue spurted from the Huk's arm yet managed to ignore the pain entirely and swung towards his nemesis' neck. Xiom barely managed to duck in time and anticipated its other working vice coming down on him. Xiom used both hands to grab hold of it before it reached his masked face and gave it a pleasant snap.

Xiom felt the insect stagger in pain once more as it had lost now both of its back-up plan appendages. It swung once more, for Xiom's stomach.

The Kaleesh barely managed evade as the vibrosword came across his vest and singed his stomach. In that moment Xiom could feel the weakness, the vulnerability in the insect and used the opportune moment to force his claws for the hilt of the vibrosword. The Huk resisted Xiom's disarming technique but it's resistance soon proved to be futile as he bore his own claws into the insect's fingertips and called full possession of the blade. And with one final sweep he decapitated his foe.

Xiom panted in all his grief, exhaustion, and pain. He admired the turquoise liquid dripping from his blade and then looked upon his own and felt the pains of war that he had barely experienced yet grown to love. He felt like a true Kaleesh warrior, not one of his own modern day that simply came of age to achieve such a title, but those of his past whom waged war against the Huk's years ago. Though so much hell and chaos had been bared within those moments he felt in commune with something…something great. His gamble, his fight, his will to live, his kills; they all felt different within those last moments then any other time he had fought. In fact he almost felt it right then…his pride and power being boosted right then by some sort of essence or abstract being…

"Wow, you really let them have it," Ben commented as the battle plains were now silent.

Xiom turned to face the other three, whom appeared slightly battle-scarred yet not as bloodied and stained as him.

"Yikes!" Mart Ma exclaimed, "Yousa be bleedin preety goodsa."

"Battle means blood," Jomaen said high pride, "And we Kaleesh bear that rightfully."

Xiom didn't speak, his mind was clouded by whatever it was he was feeling…yet it had all slowly faded away and he looked around him to wake back into reality…and his eye caught something move behind the ship followed by a light clatter.

Xiom's attention immediately turned upon whatever was beyond the ship and he readied his newfound blade for offense. He began slowly towards the bow of the transport, senses keen to any movement or sound.

Closer and closer he neared and the response was sudden and unpredictable to the Kaleesh warrior. A blue blur jumped out from its cover, whipping a claw against his chest. Xiom recoiled from the sudden yet hardly severe wound and whipped his head around to see what had hit him. In the distance, he watched the last Huk sprint off into the grasslands noticing something in the palm of its twitchy fingers.

"Let him live for now, Xiom," Jomaen suggested, "Sooner or later he'll run into a village. Surely he'll meet a gruesome punishment there."

"To Mustafar with that! That bugger stole our data chip!" Ben snapped.

"Data chip?" Xiom questioned.

"Yea! Most important thing we stole from Czerka!" Ben remarked hastily.

"Weesa loose that, weesa no get paid!" Mart Ma yelped panicky.

Xiom's vibroblade shimmered in hunger for the Huk's carapace as he twirled it within his claws, "Then I'm going after him."

"WAIT!"

Xiom's foot caught hold in the dirt, pausing his ambitious chase abruptly. He turned and caught something Ben had thrown to him.

"It's a comlink, incase you never heard of them on this rock," Ben commented, "You'll be able to keep in touch with us on the ship. We'll need to know where you are for an extract."

Xiom nodded in thanks and sprinted towards the hated species, the last thing on his mind was loosing his prey.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Hero on the Horizon

"Ev Khar, this is the Scaper 7, we could not spot you or any of your men alive at the Corellian Transport. Please reply, over."

"Scaper, this is Ev Khar-kag," panted the sprinting Huk into the radio, "My team was slaughtered by a couple of Kaleesh and a human I think. I'm currently being pursuit and have the Czerka ship. Request urgent evac!"

"Roger Ev. We are pinpointing your position as we speak. Stay sharp."

hr

Xiom's ambition and hate for the creature blocked out every aching muscle, every bleeding gash, and every doubt in his mind, which kept him chasing after the creature; non-stop and extraordinary grace. His yellow eyes fixing hungrily upon the blue blur in front of him. He couldn't explain the sudden urge of his absolute persistence nor did he care; he mad it his mission to not loose the Huk.

It was a ping of that greater being and essence shining upon him once more, that feeling in the back of his head that what he strived for benefited something larger at play, his purpose being expanded to deeper regions of the galaxy that he had to unfold. His Kaleesh warrior-pride fusing with that newer, embraced feeling made him stronger and more strong willed. He would not give up.

Minute after minute, stride after stride, mile after mile, the two continued on for more then half an hour before reaching a familiar place that made the essence watching over Xiom feel even greater and more real. It was a place that not only Xiom, but many other Kaleesh warriors held notable and magnificent. Xiom's fixed gaze managed to linger among his new surroundings as he confirmed his location.

The tall lingering temples, the colorful decorated flora, the countless of graves and monuments: it all came back to Xiom and his previous visits. A violent anger rushed through Xiom as he realized his most fouled enemy had set foot on the Kaleesh sacred monumental grounds. He roared in fury and his pace sped fluently after the Huk.

Just as Xiom felt himself gaining up on the insect it leapt and crawled up onto a tall marble monument. Xiom gazed upward and admired in awe the most treasured monument in the sacred grounds.

"Grandfather," Xiom mumbled as his angered eyes turned into a mesmerized gawk at the ten foot tall monument of his grandfather, General Grievous. The pose of the lofty statue was a dangerous combat strike that the General took, all four arms extended and widespread dramatically. In each cybernetic hand of the statue were the General's actual lightsaber trophies, retrieved by the CIS from Utapau.

Xiom's will to pursuit the Huk upon the statue was restrained from a disciplined reaction of knowing the dishonor and disrespect of treading upon the monument. His eyes went into a furious offended glare as the Huk pursued higher upon the statue.

Before Xiom gave up on the pursuit the same aura that had fueled him urged him to continue on, to avenge the image of the hero that had been tread on. Xiom looked up towards the monument once more and his eyes found the General's lightsabers, and then towards the Huk whom appeared to be going after two of the trophies.

Xiom's persistence burned inside of him once more and he leapt upon the monument of his grandfather and pursued after the Huk. His claws bore into the marble of the statue and he began his climb upward for the Huk.

hr

"Engines beesa back online," chimed Mart Ma Frungo.

"Everything else seems to check out as well," Ben stated, examining the rest of the controls alongside his Gungan co-pilot, "Time to take off then."

The humming of the engines sounded throughout the entire ship creating a low rumbling throughout its interior.

"Any word from Xiom?" Jomaen asked, accompanying the two pilots in the cockpit.

"None yet. We'll make contact with him in a moment, though," Ben reassured.

hr

Xiom continued his climb upward, seeing the Huk go straight for the General's left arms.

"Get down from there, vermin," Xiom growled to his pursuing enemy, "And I may spare you an agonizing demise."

Then there was an twin ominous sizzle followed by a constant humming that caused Xiom's eyes to go wide.

"Oh, I don't think so," hissed back the Huk whom was now holding two light sabers in hand: one green the other blue.

Xiom swallowed all doubts of him being overcome by his enemy as he brought up a point, "You don't even know how to use those. They are Jedi tools…not some play toys for you worthless Huks."

The Huk cocked his head at the Kaleesh's remark and Xiom raised his new found vibrosword offensively and to his surprise the Huk made a strike.

The force of the saber colliding with the vibroblade was enough to make Xiom flinch and loose control of his own weapon. Xiom gazed up upon the Huk whose pincer mouth snapped vigorously and raised both sabers dangerously towards Xiom. Xiom backed away and quickly lashed his claws into a new segment of the statue as the two blades came crashing down at where he had once been.

There was a muffled crackling that slowly cleared up into a clearer more recognizable sound of Xiom's Corellian ally, "Xiom…Xiom this is Ben, do you read me?"

Xiom swung his body once more to the statue's right appendages, avoiding another sloppy yet still effective strike by the Huk. Xiom paused to activate the comm. link's responding mode and spoke, "Make this quick Ben I'm a little preoccupied at the moment."

Xiom made another swing over to Grievous' right arms and pulled him self up onto the Statue's upper right arm, avoiding another sloppily coordinated strike. It was clearly obvious that the Huk did not know how to use the sabers, yet the scum had enough guts to use it dangerously.

"Xiom, give us your position and we'll be ready to assist and evacuate you," Ben's voice crackled over the comm. link once more.

Xiom climbed his way to the Statue's wrist and snatched one of the two remaining lightsabers that the statue had bared. The Kaleesh warrior turned to the Huk whom was still in pursuit of the warrior and his fingers found their way to the emitter button on the saber. A blue glare arose in front of Xiom's masked face giving a dynamic blue tint to his Mumuu mask.

"Tell Jomaen I'm at Grievous' monument. He'll tell you where to go from there," Xiom replied, his eyes now tearing into the Huk's.

"Roger that. On our way."

Xiom held the magnificent blade squarely in front of him, at his defense for the next strike. Slowly the Huk approached, both blue and green sabers clutched tightly in his feeble arms, and in his back claws resided the desired chip. Xiom waited for the move, and reared up his blade the Huk's two sabers came crashing down on his. The force of the two striking his lone blade made Xiom recoil slightly and was enough to make him loose his footing.

The Kaleesh warrior slipped and tumbled off his grandfather's upper right arm. With excellent agile, however, Xiom managed to dig his claws into the lower right arm just in time. His body jilted and hung loosely while he clenched onto the statue's lower arm direly.

The Kaleesh glanced up at the Huk; it nimbly jumped down to the same appendage as Xiom and hissed dangerously at him while bringing up both blades to strike down on Xiom's hanging arm.

Xiom's eyes went into a glare at the creature and he went to strike before the Huk could amputate him. A wild swing upwards at the Huk had crossed its toeless foot, leaving a searing amputation upon its ankle.

"KRAYRG!" It screamed and took a fall off the statue's arm.

While the Huk plummeted for the ground, Xiom carried himself up onto the arm and reached out for his grandfather's second saber. Xiom flicked it on and a green blaze emitted from the handle along with that satisfactory hum. Having the rest of his grandfather's weapons he leapt to the ground, landing gracefully on his strong yet worn feet.

His gaze immediately swerved towards the injured Huk whom began limping off.

"Is that your choice?" Xiom called out to the insect, "To die a coward?"

The Huk's oval cyan eyes glimmered with anger and it turned to face its enemy. The insect grasped onto each saber tightly; the data chip still gently clamped within his back claws.

"Those will be your dieing words, you son of a sith!" Screeched the Huk.

Xiom's eyes narrowed dangerously, "He was _not _a sith."

"Oh, it appears I've hit a tender spot," the Huk replied with sadistic glee.

"Enough talk. Let's finish this!" Xiom roared.

The Huk made a circling motion with his blades in both hands, trying its best to anticipate where the Kaleesh would strike first. His eyes squinted in both pain and anticipation; having lost a foot was slowly wearing down on him.

Xiom put his blades squarely in front of his mask, making an X like configuration with his blades. Both the blue and green illuminating blades gave color to his ambitious golden eyes. He continued his charge up until he was in striking distance.

The Huk made the first move however.

A green blur crashed across Xiom's shielding technique, successfully blocking the blow yet causing Xiom to break his blades' intersection. Xiom saw the second blue blade strike diagonally towards his neck. He pulled up with his green and the blades collided magnificently. With his free hand he targeted the Huk's and went to cleave it.

Surprisingly, the Huk had foresighted the counterattack and managed to dodge his head out of the way. Unfortunately for the Huk, Xiom's miscalculated attack had managed to take off its back claw. The Huk's eyes went wide with pain again and it screeched in agony.

Xiom gave the Huk a final kick to the Huk's chest and it toppled over. It retreated both sabers and staggered off, clumsily backwards, avoiding the Kaleesh's wrath.

Xiom picked up the data chip that the Huk had dropped, and stuffed it away in his belt, "This is where it ends, Huk."

A low rumbling and gust interrupted Xiom's finishing move as he peered above the squirming Huk. A large, unidentifiable transport with a large red double 'C' logo on its hull began to descend in their area; its bay door slowly opening.

With out hesitation, the Huk made a sudden slash at the Kaleesh and clumsily sprinted for the ship. Xiom flinched and recoiled from the unanticipated strike to his thigh and contemplated going after the Huk however the sight of two armed human guards standing in the bay made Xiom think otherwise; besides, he already had what he wanted.

Xiom watched the Huk stumble into the bay, turned to meet the Kaleeshs' final distant gaze and shouted over the transport's rumbling exhaust, "We've yet to finish this fight, Kaleesh! Ev Khar-kag, remember it; it'll be your demise."

And with that the back bay door closed and the transport ascended, exiting the planet's atmosphere in record time.

"We'll see who comes out victorious," Xiom replied to himself, glaring upon the now empty sky.

"Hey Xiom!"

The blood stained, battle scarred warrior turned hearing the familiar voice of his hunting partner and the humming of another transport.

Jomaen stood, urgently motioning him from an open bay door in the back of the ship, "C'mon! We've gotta go!"

"Now? Where?"

"The human said something about completing a trade on that planet he mentioned before: Coruscant. He's in a bit of a rush so we must leave now."

Xiom looked down at the dirt and soil of his home, his origin, his memories. This would be it. Leaving Kalee…possibly forever, for a fate or destiny that he could not foresee.

"What about my mother and father? Can't I say good-bye to them?" Xiom questioned.

"Xiom…" Jomaen's gaze took disappointment in Xiom's hesitation, "We have to leave. This is what you wanted wasn't it? What you dreamed of?"

"But…to leave Kalee and everyone we know…"

"XIOM!" A voice boomed from the interior of the ship and out stepped, onto the loading bay, was Ben, "It's now or never! We've got to go!"

Xiom closed his eyes, inhaled possibly his last breath of home, and swallowed all doubts reminding himself of an incentive…a goal…a legacy to uphold and live for.

He stepped upon the transport, the bay closing behind him, his loyal friend, and new ally. And as the bay doors closed slowly he took his last look at a beautiful sunset on the horizon that his beautiful planet bared.


End file.
